Jump Overboard
by Risa Zugva
Summary: Jeeves enters Mr Wooster's apartment and their lives change for the better.
1. One Kiss

**Jeeves and Wooster, a TV show**

 **Spoilers for S01E01**

* * *

One kiss would never suffice, Jeeves decided as he turned off the light in Mr Wooster's bedroom.

Jeeves considered himself to be quite a gentlemen's gentleman. Always professional and to the point. It was detachment that was needed for a valet to do his job properly and Jeeves was the one to do things properly even when others faltered in the face of necessity.

That's why, despite his admirable skill and dedication, he found himself searching for a new gentleman to serve times and times again. Gentlemen these days just wouldn't do what was right and proper. They desired to abandon all decency and constantly defy an orderly state of things.

Searching through the book at the Ganymede's club he went through notes of young gentlemen who were in absence of a valet. A young gentleman seemed like a prudent course of action since older ones tended to develop odd habits connected to their previous servants.

He needed someone young and unmoulded, without attachment to a certain expectation of obedience.

Despite Jeeves being most admirable in his daily tasks, he had such strong opinions on the matters of dress code, fashion and general conduct that he found himself incompatible with a certain breed of people demanding that all things would be shaped to their desire.

The desire had little to do with everyday life, Jeeves found. There were orders, rules and general conduct required for society to function properly.

Surely, Jeeves introduced himself to new thoughts regularly, but just enough to know what to avoid and how, rather than to ruin the perfect structure upon which their wealth and prosperity lays upon.

That's how he got on the name Bertram Wooster.

'Confused chap,' the previous valet said in his note. 'Doesn't know his nose from his mouth but is quick to count his socks.'

Jeeves observed the short note thinking about it. Nothing more was written but there was something to be heard between those lines. The fired valet found no greater flaws on Mr Wooster than his lack of direction and the attachment to his clothes.

No valet will be rushing to a young gentleman who fired his valet without a proper explanation but perhaps the explanation was at hand provided by the very valet who was sacked.

Why was it important that the gentleman counted his socks? The only reason Jeeves could think of was that the young Mr Wooster found the number of his socks lacking and therefore decided that it was the valet who stole them.

Since there was no complaint against said valet, it was obvious that the young gentleman found no reason to report his theft or to expose him to the valet association.

That meant two things. Firstly, it meant that he wasn't the sort of gentleman who would take revenge upon his servant or deny him the opportunity to earn his money. Secondly, it meant that Mr Wooster had to have at least a somewhat keen mind to notice the missing pairs of socks since the valet was the one in charge of obtaining new ones.

Jeeves could appreciate both of those qualities in a gentleman.

A scornful heart that desired retribution meant to seize control over its minions and lesser ones. Jeeves took pride in his profession. He couldn't stand for him, or any of his colleagues, to be treated with anything but respect.

The previous valet made a grave error when he presumed that just because his master seemed like a confused chap, that he's not alert or aware of his surroundings.

As he thought about it, Jeeves realized that he's beginning to experience a certain dose of curiosity about that young gentleman whose only crimes were the lack of guidance and a sharp eye for detail.

If anything, he'll try to stay at least a month and see the state of the said Mr Wooster. If he proves to be a man of lesser intelligence unwilling to learn the ways of proper dressing and addressing then Jeeves will have no problem in searching on.

After all, there was no shortage of gentlemen, but there was a shortage of well-trained valets.

When he entered the said Mr apartment Jeeves felt confident. At first glance, Mr Wooster seemed as innocent as a lamb caught in an incoherent state induced by the long night out.

That was the state Jeeves knew how to cure all too well.

As he tidied the apartment Jeeves noted it to be a pleasant small place which would be easy to maintain dashingly pretty. As he worked, he could see the lack of discipline and sense of detail the previous valet had.

He could also see the style of life his new master was leading. For now, it seemed all too timid, nothing to suggest any graver vice or flaw.

As Mr Wooster spoke Jeeves was pleasantly surprised by his cheerful persona. Politeness was the gravity of his world, the thing that defined a civilized and dignified society. What Mr Wooster gave out in the world was something more than politeness, he seemed astonishingly satisfied with the world around him.

Jeeves asserted his closet and clothes in an agreeable fashion and after some small resistance Mr Wooster took Jeeves' guidance as seriously as any sensible gentleman should.

That made Jeeves quite satisfied with his new employment.

In just a few days, or maybe in just a few hours, he found himself deeply concerned for his master's sense of approval, or more for his satisfaction. Maybe it was because, when satisfied, his master would spread out a sense of glee and gratitude Jeeves hadn't yet had the privilege to witness.

That was perhaps the reason for which he was so quick to offer his honest opinion when the young master offered his risky plan for engaging his friends to one another. For some reason, the young master wasn't really keen on getting engaged himself.

Upon inspecting the young girl to whom he should be betrothed to, Jeeves found it hard to imagine any blissful or even tolerable union between the two. His master was far too eager to please to be served with a bride who would stretch him as far as she can before him breaking, or perhaps she wouldn't even mind him being broken.

The last image was the reason that made Jeeves decide to intervene. Not that he intervened much, he just inserted what was offered to him. And what was offered was marvellous, it was almost as a small miracle which worked like a charm.

Jeeves was very pleased with his small injection working but was unsure how his new master will react. That's why he removed himself from the situation by pursuing their umbrella which was taken from its stand.

The umbrella wasn't hard to catch but Jeeves stood with it in hand waiting for some amount of time to give his master time to adjust to the new situation. He was most curious to see what will become of it, will he just ignore it, will he notice the intricate planning which was demanded of him.

The friend who wasn't Mr Wooster passed him by with a smile on his face and Jeeves decided that it was time to go back to the apartment.

The evening seemed to go by normally as a routine to which Jeeves already got accustomed to. It seemed that the confused part of his master will prevent him from noticing anything. For some reason, Jeeves found that a bit disappointing.

Then, just before going to bed Mr Wooster disclosed his understanding of the matter. As he lied to bed he said to Jeeves 'you're a bit of a marvel'.

'Thank you, sir,' Jeeves answered candidly.

It all seemed well and as it should be but then it happened.

As he was about to turn off the light Mr Wooster smiled brightly.

'Good night Jeeves,' Mr Wooster said simply turning his light off.

'Good night, sir,' Jeeves answered as expected but with a certain dose of lightness in his chest.

As he turned off the light an unusual thought came to his mind.

One kiss would never suffice. If anyone would ever be honoured enough to betroth Mr Wooster and gain his affection one kiss would just lead to heartbreak and pain. Surely, there would be a demand for much more than one kiss.


	2. To Take Care of You

**S** **poilers: S01E01**

There was nothing Bertie Wooster feared more in this world than marriage. He wasn't quite sure why but he found the whole dreaded thing quite disturbing.

He often wondered why it was so, but all he could think of was that he just wasn't meeting women he liked enough to consider desirable for marriage.

His aunts were concerned with the suitability of his future bride but Wooster wasn't invested enough to care for such things. His friends often got entangled with women of diminished social status but Bertie saw no reason to do so. He has got enough troubles of brushing away women with a good social status. Why, in George's name, would he bring himself upon even greater trouble than that were unmarried bored maidens of his own social circle adding to the mixture maidens of lesser social status. He was merely grateful for the fact that they too aren't feeling entitled enough to pursue him as a prospective husband.

Previously, he had no troubles in abstaining from marrying some of them. His tactic included drunkenness, tardiness and general sloppiness before the ladies. If such behaviour failed him, there was always some miserable bachelor skulking around to divert the lady's attention.

Despite that, he always assumed that he'll get hitched sooner or later, everyone did. Until then he enjoyed his independent life to its fullest, which sometimes left him dishevelled and without a voice.

All that changed with his new manservant Jeeves. He was a marvel of a man. It seemed that he did everything right. His manners were impeccable, his voice polite but strong and Bertie couldn't catch him missing one beat of his daily duties.

That had some misfortunate consequences. Bertie was now neatly pressed and presented suitably for every imaginable opportunity. There was nothing on him that was anything but agreeable, from his shiny shoes to his fresh red rose on his lapel. The rose was quite a nice touch. That part of his attire would often go crumpled and sapless before he would notice its demise.

Still, it was really nice to be so well suited that he couldn't bring himself from ruining Jeeves' efforts. Especially since it seemed that his new valet was quite a proud man attached to his job. So much so that Bertie found himself unable to make him unsatisfied to the level that he wore that boring brown suit to the train.

"Jeeves, I have to make one thing crystal clear, I'm not of that sort of gentlemen who are slaves to their servant," he said harshly when they disembarked the train.

"Certainly not, sir" Jeeves answered horrified by the notion and Bertie marched on.

All seemed well with his world. That Honoria business had to be addressed. As usual, he made his cunning plan, more so, he was so satisfied with it that he shared it with Jeeves. Previously, he would keep a plan like that for himself but Jeeves seemed like the sort of chap that would understand his dire need to stay free as long as possible.

He was most unsatisfied to find that Jeeves had objections to his plan.

"Any plan which includes four people of which two of them are unaware of their part is risky to say at least," Jeeves grumbled.

Bertie dismissed his petty remark and carried on with his plan. When it backfired on him because one of his pawns didn't show up, he returned to Jeeves all soaked and wet.

Jeeves lifted his expressive eyebrows disapprovingly eying the soaked suit he so carefully picked out for him before.

"Let me prepare you a bath," was all that he said. "A nice hot bath, we don't want for you to get a cold."

"That would be agreeable," Bertie was shivering by now.

"But let us first get you out of those clothes," Jeeves approached him decidedly.

As Jeeves helped him peel off his wet clothes Bertie felt most strangely. It was routine for his valet to help him with his clothes but that was usually from the back helping him with his coat and waistcoat. Since his sweater was soaking wet hanging from him Jeeves approached him from the front and removed its wet weight of Bertie.

As the soaked fabric crossed Bertie's face he couldn't see for a moment, all he could sense was Jeeves's cologne. When the fabric was removed, he was faced with his tall chest and for a moment he felt confused.

Luckily, Jeeves was an efficient valet and soon Bertie was enveloped in a blanket waiting for his bath to be ready. As Jeeves poured hot water in the bathtub Bertie thought about the procedure of getting in the bath.

Till now, Jeeves would prepare him a bath and then leave just to return to empty the bath. That was in his flat where his bathroom was a separate room. Here, in this guest room, the bath was practically a part of the room with only a sliding door separating it from the main room.

"Your bath is ready," Jeeves bowed slightly exiting the bathroom and moving to the other end of Bertie's room.

Bertie was cold as hell. Without further thought, he went to the bathroom leaving his blanket on the stand. When he was submerged in the bath, he realized that he didn't close the door behind him. Well, that was that now. He could hear Jeeves moving in the room behind him. It was soothing to have his company. Still, that Honoria business worried him. He explained some extent of it to Jeeves, he didn't relish in his defeat.

Then Jeeves dropped a bomb on him telling him that he's engaged to Honoria now.

Bertie sunk in his bath in despair. Honoria was perhaps the worst possible woman to end up hitched to who he could imagine.

After a while his bath became cold. Bertie failed to notice that but Jeeves was alert as ever.

"Khm, sir," he attracted Bertie's attention. "I think the point of a bath will be lost on you if it gets as cold as the pond you had the misfortune of swimming in."

"Quite sure, Jeeves," said Bertie distracted from his thoughts. He got up instantly.

There was a slight flinch on Jeeves' face as he did so but without further complaint, he offered a towel to Bertie and went on with cleaning up the bathroom.

Bertie waged the responsibilities before him. There was no way that he could be rude to Honoria and to his aunt. He had to play his part. After all, that was the thing his departed parents raised him for.

The sadness of his inevitable destiny laid heavy on his shoulders but he was a Wooster and he will withstand it as he withstood Honoria's talk, walk and attitude.

"I'm sure I'll make something of him," she said to Aunt Agatha.

"Wait now, there's no need for that," he complained.

"Don't be silly Bertie you just need someone to take care of you."

Bertie felt strongly against her statement but was lost for words as he often was before women and their less than understandable nature. But that was a flaw of all women, there was no woman he could understand and he presumed that it was so for the rest of his fellow men. They were all together in that mess.

The question of entertaining Honoria's parent came up and Bertie resigned to it as he resigned to the rest of his destiny of obeying women. He was resigned to his destiny so much so that when it was taken from him it took him a while to notice.

At the first moment, he was quite angry at Jeeves for making him seem like a buffoon and a lunatic in front of Honoria's parents. Then it dawned at him that he won't have to marry Honoria. The realization made him happy as a chirping bird upon a tree and quite grateful to Jeeves for removing that unpleasant future from his vicinity.

When he laid in his bed after that incident, he was as content as he could be. As he turned off his light, he thought how there is some more freedom before him, the freedom of demanding women and their stressful company.


	3. A Wrench

**Spoilers: S01E02**

* * *

After a few weeks with Jeeves, it seemed to Bertie that having a steady house life with a charming hand of a wife wouldn't be as bad as it seemed before. His heart seemed warmed up with the order and care around him, therefore he looked around for a wife, someone he could share his newfound comfort with.

Bobby popped up in that exact moment and she seemed like a perfect match. She was cheerful and always ready for a laugh. That was all Bertie ever wanted from his company, to have a good laugh.

As they drove to the golf tournament, Bertie felt so good about his prospect plans that he shared them with Jeeves. From Jeeves' tone, it was easy to hear his disapproving of Bertie's choice of the lady.

They drove on in silence after Bertie asserted his determination but his good mood was gone. He couldn't understand why Jeeves wouldn't approve of his choice.

"It's time to speak frankly," he said to Jeeves as he sat down to put on his golf shoes.

Jeeves complied and was frank as ever concluding that Bobby needs a commanding and strong husband. Those were the qualities Bertie would use to describe himself so he marched on satisfied.

As he stood on the golf course between Jeeves and Bobby, he couldn't but notice Jeeves' profile at the edge of his vision. He couldn't shake off the feeling that Jeeves is disapproving of him. On the other side, he avoided to look straight at Bobby but he couldn't stop thinking of her and searching for a hidden flaw on her, the one he couldn't see.

All of that made him lose his focus and generally be clumsy as hell. He hated being clumsy when he expected to be victorious.

That day he was anything but victorious. The following day things got worse when the hidden flaw of Bobby revealed itself. She was more than willing to include him in her practical jokes but also didn't hesitate to put him on the receiving end of her poking stick.

He was angry at her but at the same time relieved that he discovered her flaws on time.

Unfortunately, that didn't help him with avoiding her next scheme which resulted in losing Aunt Agatha's dog.

He felt such glee when he retrieved him back with the help of Jeeves' plan.

"Tell me Jeeves, were you always like this or did it come on suddenly?" he asked referring to his smarts.

"Well, my mother thought of me intelligent, sir," Jeeves answered simply.

"You can't go by that. My mother thought of me intelligent," Bertie answered jokingly but the bell rang before Jeeves could reply.

The new trouble came in and the dog seemed lost again. Bertie felt such horror when it was taken again. The things happened so quickly that he forgot to get angry at Jeeves for calling him eccentric. All that was left was a sense of relief that he dodged that bullet.

It took him a while to retrace all his steps and to try to figure out when Jeeves bought a second dog to give to that obnoxious child who wanted to have Aunt Agatha's dog.

Jeeves' mind worked so quickly that it seemed like a marvel.

He said as much to his favourite aunt Dahlia. Aunt Dahlia was the one to listen to his stories from time to time and she also did refer to him as her favourite nephew.

Sadly, she was quick to catch on Jeeves' usability and soon Bertie was up on a stage singing at the top of his voice feeling the bird in the air. Luckily it didn't spread rotten tomatoes on him that evening.

In the morning, when he found out the way Jeeves managed to turn a losing situation in Aunt Dahlia's favour he felt overwhelmed with gratitude toward Jeeves. All seemed well with the world, his aunt was satisfied, his favourite cousin Angela happy, his friend Tuppy safely engaged and he was free of engaging himself off to Bobby.

He wanted to respond somehow to Jeeves for all of that but found words couldn't express it. Then he spotted the edge of his plus six-trousers to which Jeeves took offence against and thought that could do the trick.

"Thank you, sir," said Jeeves with warmth in his voice and Bertie knew that he was right. "It will be a wrench at first but you'll feel better for it."

Bertie didn't feel the wrench at all, what he felt was satisfaction.


	4. The Eye of Love

**Spoilers: S01E02**

* * *

Working for Mr Wooster proved to be the most agreeable experience for Jeeves. Mr Wooster took almost all of his advice with ease and without much fuss. It was like Jeeves is creating his day on his own. Mr Wooster would just stand in the right place and let himself be dressed in the right coat and take the right hat from Jeeves' hand.

It was most satisfactory. That is, while it worked.

The rift in his routine began with those dreaded plus sixes as Mr Wooster called his new dreadful trousers.

Jeeves started a careful manoeuvre to dissuade Mr Wooster from exiting the apartment in those garments of which Jeeves thought as a lesser version of a home robe.

"No with the buts," said Mr Wooster contradicting him and plucking Jeeves' pocket watch out of his pocket. "We must go."

Jeeves was so bewildered with the intimate intrusion on his personal space that he lost a step and didn't carry on with his remarks.

In the car, things got worse.

"I'm in love with Ms Wickham," Mr Wooster said.

"With Ms Wickham, sir?" Jeeves said with disapproval and Mr Wooster was quick to catch on to his tone of voice.

"There's no need of saying it like that," Mr Wooster was quick to reprimand him back to his post.

When they arrived Mr Wooster asked him firmly to explain his opinion and Jeeves did just so. He compressed his disapproval of Ms Wickham's character in a rather polite sentence but then again Mr Wooster just pranced off taking only the final words of his opinion.

"Exactly Jeeves. Condemned out of your own mouth," Mr Wooster said and pranced off.

Jeeves got deeply worried then. He wasn't the one to say that Mr Wooster didn't have a strong personality but he was only inclined to think that he wouldn't be the one who orders anyone around. He can be firm at times and determinate when he knows what he wants but that was hardly ever.

It seemed that he had no special opinions about most things of which others had very strong opinions about. That might have seemed like a weakness to Jeeves before he met Mr Wooster but on him, it was a gentleness of nature, an openness towards the world. Jeeves would be most disgruntled to see that kindness used and brushed off by a woman like Ms Wickham, the one which only thinks of her own amusement and advancement. For the likes of her, others were mere toys that can be used and discarded afterwards.

It was sad to see Mr Wooster lose. Jeeves felt partly responsible for his absentminded mood. He even tried to suggest to Mr Wooster to focus and think of his problems later but as always that was easier said than done.

Maybe even worse than witnessing his defeat was to stand by and watch how Ms Wickham was playing a game on his account. When the other victim of her play, said Barmy, approached Jeeves for help, Jeeves was placed in a dilemma.

He could dissuade Barmy from participating in her ploy or even warn his master but what purpose would that serve.

The gentlemen would surely refuse to believe him. Sometimes it was best for others to experience some things on their own skin.

As expected they were on their way home in the morning and although Mr Wooster was enraged Jeeves thought of it for the best.

The following week wasn't any better because it was marked with Ms Wickham. Although Jeeves dissuaded Mr Wooster from pursuing her she wasn't a woman who was dissuaded easily.

Mr Wooster was admirable in his attempt to put off Ms Wickham but Jeeves had no real hope that he'll be successful in his endeavour. That's why he obtained items from her letter and withstood the agony of reading her play without showing his disapproval of the lady.

When that torture was over, it got worse. Ms Wickham just took Macintosh from his hands. Even though Jeeves was anything but enamoured with the hound he was at the state of despair. His task was to defend Mr Wooster's attire and possessions but how could he go against his guest to whom he entrusted his apartment even without supervision.

Reasonably, Mr Wooster was in a state of distress upon learning about the fate of his faithful dog. Luckily, Jeeves had his wits if he didn't have anything else and produced a plan of rescuing the hound from the hands of the child without inflicting any hurt to the said child.

Upon returning Mr Wooster was so pleased that he praised Jeeves. While listening to him speak, Jeeves lost his step again and failed to inform Mr Wooster of the second phase of their plan.

As any plan goes, there is always some room in which a man has to improvise. The boy's father, the one who took their dog, pointed his rage at Mr Wooster more than on the dog, therefore Jeeves took the liberty of giving out an impression that Mr Wooster is a too dangerous man to have a row against.

That made him get out of the apartment in a fearful state and grateful enough not to pay special attention to the wrong dog in his hand.

Before he was able to disclose the whole plot to Mr Wooster, he was already up on his feet running after the wrong dog.

When all was settled and the dogs were equally distributed among different owners, Jeeves offered a small explanation and an apology.

"Except to the eye of love, sir, one Aberdeen Terrier is much like another," he said calmly.

As he returned to his duties Jeeves was once again satisfied with his current position in life. One master was much like another but Jeeves rather approved of this one. Especially of his ability to let go of small mistakes Jeeves made and to accept his improvisations. Mr Wooster never once reprimanded him for using the word 'eccentric' to describe him, falsely of course.

In that same mood, he was still when Mr Wooster's Aunt Dahlia asked him directly for a favour. He was most flattered by her trust and wasn't easily willing to accept defeat. He even went so far to compliment Mr Wooster's pleasant baritone.

That, by itself, wasn't a lie, although Jeeves suffered through modern tunes Mr Wooster decided to entertain with his voice. Jeeves didn't want to encourage Mr Wooster to employ those tunes too frequently but the cause demanded of Jeeves to sacrifice his sense of a good tune to the greater cause.

Despite his sacrifice, the defeat came anyway when the said lady singer who was to be disenchanted with Tuppy wasn't there to witness his defeat before the audience.

Mr Wooster resigned more than a little disappointed in that moment. Jeeves couldn't let that be. After all, it was Mr Wooster's trust in him that led Aunt Dahlia to put her trust in Jeeves, he won't let that be ruined so easily.

Jeeves considered his further actions justified. Aside from his desire to please Aunt Dahlia and Mr Wooster, from what he had gathered. that singer was a poor fit for Tuppy. She was a serious artist while Tuppy just played one to engage her attention.

As tomatoes fell on the said singer Jeeves felt more than a bit of satisfaction. Tuppy was punched and the singer stormed out.

In the morning, Mr Wooster wondered about that strange turn of events and Jeeves found himself explaining the event in the detail.

In the past, even if he would dare to meddle in his employer's business, he would never disclose that he did so. He would find it most distasteful, disrespectful and embarrassing that he felt the need to intervene in such a manner. More so, he would feel that he would be judged harshly for his conduct and, subsequently, be asked to leave the premises for his intrusion in the gentleman's life.

Presently, in the company of Mr Wooster, who himself served as a sort of trouble-solver to his immediate family and friends, Jeeves felt confident that Mr Wooster will be able to appreciate the delicate nature of Jeeves' intervention in the last night's events.

As he anticipated, Mr Wooster did understand but moreover, it seemed like Mr Wooster was extremely pleased with Jeeves' services. That was more than just seen as a favourable attribute for a suitable master.

Unexpectedly, Mr Wooster decided to grant Jeeves a favour and get rid of those ghastly plus sixes that started this unfortunate chain of events. As he got rid of them Jeeves discovered within his person a small sense of mischief. He didn't just dispose of plus sixes. He cut them to small pieces and fed them to the fire in the fireplace.

That small ritual gave him a sense of home, there was something in the fire that wasn't his but was bestowed upon him to be disposed at his will. It was most pleasant.


	5. The Lack of Sleep

Bertie slept horribly for days. He just tossed and turned in his bed for most of the night.

He couldn't figure out what in George the matter was with him.

Most of the night he would just rewind the day, all the small things, bits here and there, every conversation with Jeeves. When he would give up on sleep, he thought of Jeeves' expressions and his tone of voice trying to figure out what it all meant.

Jeeves was a man of many words but not a lot of them were dedicated to expressing his inner world. His inner thoughts could only be seen through the expression of his eyebrows and the small changes in the various ways when he would say 'Indeed, sir'.

Sometimes Bertie would get chills when he said those words. Like the time when Bertie was wrong about Bobby thinking of her as suitable for marriage only to realise what a heartless manipulator she really was.

At other times his heart would feel warm from the approval hidden behind the very same words.

It was most peculiar just as Jeeves was most peculiar.

Bertie often found himself talking to his friends about him and his world views. So much so, that his friends addressed Jeeves in the same manner as they did him.

That gave him some sense of satisfaction, that they were able to see it too, but somehow it wasn't enough. Bertie wanted to know more about his valet. He didn't just want polite remarks from him, he wished for Jeeves to talk to him.

Sometimes, as Bertie talked Jeeves would simply slip out into the kitchen and disappear. Then Bertie had to wait for him to emerge just to finish his sentence.

He felt foolish for it.

That's why he decided that he won't be a slave to that blasted door. One day he just breathed in deeply and followed Jeeves inside. As he did so he kept talking to diminish his discomfort. In his own space, it seemed as if Jeeves was more willing to talk.

That was a fine discovery, therefore Bertie began to enter the kitchen and ironing room regularly. Even when his sentence wasn't interrupted by the door he would enter and start a conversation sitting in the chair or walking back and forth. It was most gratifying.

Still, he couldn't sleep. It was as he was burning from within. He couldn't really explain his state of mind.


	6. An Intrusion

Jeeves didn't consider Mr Wooster's intrusion in his private space in a completely favourable light.

It wasn't proper for the master to spend his time in the servant areas. That was the reason why the separation was there, to divide worlds which need to be divided.

In most houses, even the doors towards the servant areas were different on each side underlying the difference. Jeeves has served in many households till now and in none of them would the master just come to the kitchen and sit down.

Even worse, Mr Wooster went so far to lift his feet on the table.

It wasn't Jeeves' place to teach his master of what is proper and what is not. After all, this was his apartment. There was some comfort in the fact that this was a newly built building so the servant spaces were almost as clean and nice as the main area but still.

In the service rooms, things were useful, not admirable. The space was smaller and it felt like the two of them barely fit in that room.

As a valet who knows his place, Jeeves said nothing but he couldn't restrain his face from showing discomfort before such familiarity. Mr Wooster didn't take notice in that.

That was somewhat strange because he was quick to catch on Jeeves' inner thoughts in other situations.

To bear with those situations Jeeves worked with more focused fierceness doing his task with the proper care. That he did when he was unseen too but then he was less stressed out, his movements were slower.

When he realized that Mr Wooster's behaviour won't stop, that it's probably a part of his character to think that the servant door is just like his own, a passageway that works in both ways, Jeeves started to express himself more vocally. He discovered that when he would summarize his thoughts precisely and honestly that Mr Wooster would leave to go about his business.

Mr Wooster's business would usually consist of visits to the Drone's Club and of trips to the countryside. It was luck that most of the time he ate out because his appetite wasn't much at home. It was as if he was suffering from indigestion.


	7. Broken Sepals

As if the lack of sleep wasn't enough, Bertie experienced a lack of appetite too. The food seemed like mere gush in his mouth.

That never happened to him before. If anything else, he always had a healthy appetite.

That was the most unpleasant thing of all.

Luckily, he had some kind of appetite when he dinned out. At home, it seemed like the food became an obstacle more than any kind of pleasure. The worst thing was that the food was the same, nothing about it changed.

He forced himself to eat just to avoid offending Jeeves but he must have noticed how he struggles with the food since he started to bring him lesser portions and lighter food.

The lack of food and sleep made him grumpy and nervous. In his restless state, he started to play with the rose on his lapel. One by one he broke all of the sepals below the bud.

When he returned home Jeeves stared at the flower disapprovingly but said nothing. Bertie was entertained by his face thinking of it just as a slight annoyance.

He proved to be wrong. The annoyance mixed with the lack of sepals on the flower was sufficient enough for Jeeves to go down on the street with him when he went out. There he purchased a new flower and replaced the damaged one.

Bertie smiled as he did that knowing that from now on, he'll be breaking sepals more often. Not just because of the satisfying feeling he got under his fingers when the green sepal would break, or just to prank Jeeves, but because Jeeves tucking the rose in his lapel made him feel better. He was suddenly less nervous and he felt as he could eat something more substantial than a soup.


	8. A Romance Novel

**Spoilers: S01E03**

* * *

Jeeves felt a bit haunted. It seemed that wherever he turned there was Mr Wooster talking at him. He was so often home that Jeeves resigned with doing most of his chores while Mr Wooster was observing him.

Usually, he would do most of his chores unnoticed. That was the virtue of a good manservant, to do his job and that it seemed as though no job has been done. When the gentleman returns from his duties, he would just find everything in its place.

That was an impossible task with Mr Wooster.

His schedule was unpredictable. Sometimes he would dine in, sometimes out. Sometimes he would go out and sometimes he would stay in with a book.

Not an improving book like the ones Jeeves was reading but rather some sort of romance novels Jeeves usually disproved off.

Still, when one of those novels was left on the coffee table while all of Jeeves' chores were done, he felt somewhat interested in the contents of said novel.

After all, all books were written and cared for, someone found words in it worth writing down.

Mr Wooster wasn't home and the book was placed on the piano. If Jeeves would to take the book in the kitchen surely Mr Wooster wouldn't notice it being moved. That wouldn't seem unusual since the very core part of Jeeves' job was to move things around.

That's how he started the book before he knew it, he had read the whole thing bit by bit in the absence of Mr Wooster. He read half of it in one night while he waited for Mr Wooster to get back from an outing.

The book wasn't of much quality but the story was compelling nevertheless.

Who would think, but maybe one could think, that Mr Wooster would be moved by a love story between a gentleman and an unfortunate young lady born to a not so rich background?

After that, Jeeves himself sought out novels of similar character. He found it entertaining and didn't see any harm in him being acquainted with the sort of books his master enjoyed.

That seemed prudent since it appeared that his master enjoyed fewer things than one might assume at first glance. It seemed that the most pleasing thing for his master was to help those around him, to join estranged hearts so to speak.

The choice of his books did reveal a romantic nature. Perhaps that was the reason he so firmly eschews from the prospects of marriage. Maybe that was even the reason for which Jeeves himself was so firmly against the notion of his master being married off unromantically in a union his aunts desired. If anyone deserved to be loved by his spouse it was his master.

Sadly, no one emerged for who his master would show any kind of affection.

When the business with Bobby the hot-water-piercer came about, Jeeves didn't think of their possible engagement as romantic in any sense. It seemed to Jeeves that Mr Wooster was just briefly entertained by the thought of having a partner in crime by his side, someone to make tricks for him to laugh at.

That was hardly enough for a good marriage.

In the absence of any desirable partner for his master, Jeeves sought out for a different matter altogether. He listened to rumours and ascertain data on Mr Wooster's family and friends to find him a good love story to participate in.

The right thing accidentally landed in his lap so to speak.

Jeeves was known in the circles of personal servants as a mediator of sorts, a trusted companion in delicate social situations. That's how he got invited in accompanying his friend to court a young lady. There he was a shield against the young lady's aunt. As a good shield, he listened to her stories with careful interest.

In her stories a name arose, Wooster was the name. At that point, Jeeves wasn't just a shield, he became interested in the story, in the broken-up love affair.

Jeeves smiled just slightly thinking how reminiscent this was of Mr Wooster's novels. He could remember Mr Wooster speaking kindly of his uncle. When slightly encouraged, Mr Wooster told their side of the story to Jeeves not denying any details.

In Jeeves' mind a clear path was formed. Lord Yaxley, Mr Wooster's uncle, deserved to be reunited with his young love. Why wouldn't he in his old age enjoy the company of affectionate nature? That's why Jeeves instructed Lord Yaxley's manservant to navigate his gentleman to the niece of his love. Surely, he'll be able to recognize the name and the likeness the niece had to her aunt.

The plan sounded wise but as in any plan, as he himself warned Mr Wooster only a few weeks earlier, if everything depended on two unaware participants, it will most likely backfire.

Instead of recognizing the likeness, the old Lord got infatuated by it giving his affection to the young niece.

It meant that he, not only aimed an elderly gentleman on a very young lady but also ruined his friend's prospects of achieving desirable consummation of agreement with the said lady.

He was in a slight state of despair since he had no ways of influencing the old lord but then his master Mr Wooster came to his aid.

When Mr Wooster appeared in his favourite cafe in his free time, Jeeves didn't even mind for the intrusion. He was grateful for the eagerness with which Mr Wooster listened to his suggestions.

There was a certain dose of trepidation with which Jeeves expected the lord's appearance and the reception of the news that he withheld information from his master to be. He had to bear the anxiety of it because the benefit of a valiant outcome was out waging his own comfort.

Jeeves didn't know the lord well so there was a chance that his old love had died off, that he'll just carry on with courting the niece rather than an aged woman who was well over her prime. That outcome would sadden Jeeves and probably his master too but what would life be if you couldn't wage on the human heart and its fidelity.

The lord entered Mr Wooster's home and all went down even better than Jeeves expected.

The danger was averted. His friend got his fiancé back and old lovers were reunited. Jeeves thought how it all turned out quite nicely.

"You're not aware," said Mr Wooster upon returning from the club with yet another ruined red rose, "but this binge has depreciated your stock quite considerably."

That made Jeeves admit that he had knowledge of Lord Yaxley's past. Still, there was no need to dwell upon Jeeves' earlier involvement in the matter.

Mr Wooster enjoyed himself in the success of their intervention even if he was on the surface disgruntled instead of his Aunt Agatha. It wasn't hard to see through the surface of Mr Wooster. Still, it seemed wise to avoid the full throttle of Aunt Agatha's rage. It would return Mr Wooster in that nervous state of indigestion he was in before.

As he planned their swiftly escape Jeeves decided to take the train while Mr Wooster drives to their destination. It seemed prudent to make some distance between his master and him. The familiarity of it all seemed to be too strenuous on Jeeves' time. A solitary journey on the train seemed like a satisfactory prelude to their days in the village where they'll share rooms really close together.

It appeared that Mr Wooster is never really far away. There was no need for them to drive for a few hours leaned shoulder by shoulder as Mr Wooster talks and drives. Surely, even he will consider some alone time as agreeable.


	9. The Hanger

**Spoiler alert: S01E03**

Bertie was disgruntled by the solitary drive as he was dissatisfied for days now. Even the reunion of his uncle and his long lost love didn't bring glee to his desolated soul.

Playing the piano brought no pleasure either. He wasn't even invested enough to find a full version of 'Goodnight Vienna' and to solve the mystery of its lyrics.

To soothe his nerves, before his uncle came in to find his forgotten flame, he mixed a cocktail. As he did so, Jeeves talked and Bertie almost felt normal. That is until Jeeves made that move. The one in which he took on his coat from the hanger not even taking it off the said hanger.

The hanger just popped out behind him and Bertie felt somehow strange because of it. He stopped shaking his cocktail feeling somehow clumsy and lonely.

Still, while shaking the cocktail he had something to do so he kept doing it as he talked to the aunt who was a woman of the people. When he realized to whom he's talking to his cocktail escaped from his hand landing on the ground.

No one wanted to drink his cocktail afterwards. Bertie lost the taste for it too.

It was strange to look at his old uncle so mellowed, so happy. Sure, Bertie was happy for him and he worried about Aunt Agatha's reaction, but he was also very sad. There was something in their tight embrace that ached Bertie.

When his uncle brought the news to his Aunt Agatha, Jeeves was quick enough to pack them for the journey to the village to escape her rage.

Bertie was more than eager to do so. He didn't feel the need to wait for lunch, he wasn't hungry anyway. Yet he barely noticed when Jeeves said that he'll take the train while Bertie drives.

As he drove, he felt hunger, grumpiness and boredom. If only Jeeves was by his side leaning on his shoulder, they would talk and Bertie wouldn't feel hunger.

That thought gave Bertie pause. Could it be that Jeeves was causing his appetite to plummet?

To test that theory Bertie started to think of Jeeves and as soon as he did so he felt no hunger.


	10. Positively Animated

**Spoiler alert: S01E03**

* * *

The visit to Twing Hall proved to be challenging for Jeeves for many reasons.

The first challenge was his grumpy master who was moody and irritable.

The second challenge was the sporting betting on the village fair behind their hostess' back.

The third one was himself or his growing sense of animation.

For his third challenge, he blamed the lack of duties. Twing Hall was organized like a clockwork under the firm grip of its mistress. There were no additional duties for Jeeves but to attend to his master's needs.

It was luck really that in the whole picture there was the sporting challenge. Without it, Jeeves wasn't really sure what he would do with himself. He wasn't the kind of a person that liked to be idle.

As a result of Mr Wooster's mood, it seemed that Mr Wooster was constantly somewhere around Jeeves. He went so far to find him in the basement in the servant quarters for cleaning gentleman's gear. Other servants felt such great discomfort in his invasion to their space that they would find themselves work elsewhere as soon as he would enter the room.

That left them alone as if they were back home. Jeeves felt conflicted about the whole idea of it. The idea that Mr Wooster went wherever Jeeves roamed. On one side his company wasn't unpleasant and their conversations were interesting, especially since Mr Wooster listened to Jeeves as an equal interlocutor, but on the other side, Jeeves never seemed to catch some rest to put an end to his growing sense of animation.

Everything in Twing Hall seemed to be designed to rise Jeeves' spirit to an undignified state of alert.

One of his troubles was the bath that had a complicated boiler. To Jeeves' dismay, Mr Wooster never had enough patience to let the tub fill sufficiently to cover him whole.

The end result was Mr Wooster sitting in a tub too exposed for comfort. Jeeves found a way to give him at least some sense of modesty by placing a stall with towels as an obstacle between them and busied himself with tasks of maintaining the bathroom. Usually, he would leave Mr Wooster till he finished his bath but now it seemed that their conversation doesn't have pauses long enough for Jeeves to leave the bathroom and busy himself elsewhere.

Jeeves garnered hope that their sporting event will resolve his other two problems. That the success in betting will lift Mr Wooster's foul mood and give Jeeves' animation a sense of release.

That's why he invested himself in the odds more than he usually would. The outcome was of personal interest to him. He even found himself sitting on the ground spying through the binocular to prove that the pageboy can win the race.

The said pageboy was rude beyond comprehension making an opprobrious remark about Jeeves' appearance calling him a 'fruit fairy'.

The remark enraged Jeeves to the point of running after the rude boy. When he saw him run, he forgot about his rude remarks, all that was left was a safe bet no one else would take. The risk would make them more than a little gleeful.

Still, that remark led to him sitting on the grass, staining his pressed pants. Worse than that was that Mr Wooster lied beside him on the grass looking at the sky.

But the worst part was that Jeeves wasn't even worried about his suit that he'll have to clean later, he was grateful after all for any kind of distraction, but for the position in which he placed himself.

Jeeves was so uncomfortable with it that he spent the whole time sitting upright looking through the binocular waiting for the pageboy to run before them. The boy was so rude that it was inevitable for him to run before someone sooner or later.

Sooner would be more agreeable for Jeeves. Mr Wooster was smoking, sending puffs up the sky. Nothing was said but Jeeves kept thinking of fruit fairies and how he went to the service to get away from his dissatisfied father. His father was more than little dismayed with Jeeves' manners and inclinations towards books and culture. Sometimes he too would call Jeeves the fruit fairy or some meaner variants of the word.

Jeeves, being the man of knowledge, was acquainted with the expressions and customs surrounding said deviant subculture but he never found himself drawn enough to step in its circles. His life was fulfilled enough without exploits which could be called damning for the soul although Jeeves avoided superstition whenever he could.

He expected of himself that in time he will settle down with an agreeable lady to spend long evenings with but that always seemed really far away.

Now, since he was in the service of Mr Wooster, those thoughts would occur, the forbidden ones, but he always firmly kept them at bay. The problem was that Mr Wooster didn't help with his composure at all.

He always went around talking how a broadminded man he is, how he fears nothing and is ready to take risks.

When the boy finally run, Mr Wooster turned quickly and ended up leaning on Jeeves' leg. The contact wasn't unnoticed by Jeeves. That was just the moment that their hostess pops up behind them sounding reprimanding and accusing.

Jeeves felt shame as he was caught in an unlawful act. He was quick to invent a small lie to stop her prying. It would be most unpleasant if she would discover that they were betting when she strictly forbade so.

The days dragged on and it seemed that Mr Wooster is talking to him in code. It was as he knows Jeeves secret fears and is negotiating with Jeeves' terms of surrender.

That was a silly thought but Jeeves armed himself with poets and writers, quoting them to advise caution in their every endeavour. Even in strokes of golf.

Still, even when was proved wrong, when the golf ball ended up in the tree, Mr Wooster seemed firm and unfaltering, as he really has no fear.

Of course, it was up to Jeeves to climb the tree in his clean clothes, as it would be on Jeeves to suffer the consequences if anything would ever happen between them, which it wouldn't, he would never allow it. Mr Wooster would be protected by his status and money, he would just be called eccentric while Jeeves could easily end up in jail, if not worse.

Keeping that in mind, Jeeves kept himself stern, although no moves were made, nothing inappropriate was spoken, no advances were taken. Still, there was that feeling between Jeeves and Mr Wooster and as days passed it seemed to Jeeves that the feeling is growing.

He wasn't ready to disclose to himself what that feeling was about but he let himself feel the satisfaction of it. There was nothing malicious inside of their interactions. If nothing it seemed that Mr Wooster is quite fond of Jeeves.

That couldn't be a bad thing, could it?


End file.
